Chapter 782
“It wasn’t you? Then… who was it?” I was honestly stunned. I’d been so sure Edward had helped me out after hearing about Frank getting handsy.
Edward’s face became unreadable, his expression impossible to read.
“Walk me through everything that happened. I’ll look into it and find out who’s really got your back,” he said, his voice dropping a notch.
My heart skipped a beat. ‘Did I really just thank the wrong guy?’
I laid it all out for him, and Edward’s gaze turned icy. “Wait, he tried to lay a hand on you?”
“Yeah, but he’s behind bars now. They must have solid evidence against him.” Just remembering the smug look Frank had that day makes my skin crawl.
“It was Ryan, wasn’t it?” Edward didn’t even have to think about it–he just knew.
I felt a jolt in my chest. “Why would he help me?”
Edward replied, his voice calm, “Because he cares about you. He’s always looking out for you, and the moment he hears you’re in trouble, he wants to be the first to help.”
I pressed my hand to my forehead, feeling lost. “If it really was him, then what am I supposed to do?”
Edward stared at me, his gaze sharp and urgent. “Did you meet up with him in private?”
I felt a little guilty, but finally nodded. “Yeah, he came to find me outside the office building before.”
Edward’s expression turned sour. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I asked if you were having any problems, and you said no. Were you counting on him to bail you out?”
“Edward, I never expected him to help me. The moment Frank started getting inappropriate, I decided to cut off the partnership,” I explained right away.
“And what about you meeting up with him?” Edward kept pressing, clearly not ready to drop it.
“He came looking for me outside the lobby. I had no choice but to get him away from the building. We just chatted for a bit, then I sent him on his way,” I explained.
“You know exactly why he’s trying to get close to you. Don’t ever meet him alone again,” Edward said, his voice turning possessive.
“Alright, but what if he shows up looking for me?” I glanced up at him. “Is there anything you can do to stop it?”
Edward frowned, then turned his back to me and stared out the window. “Ryan’s gone back to Braylin, so he won’t be showing up here for a while.”
“Edward, don’t you trust me?” I called out softly, watching his back.
His shoulders visibly stiffened. He slowly clenched his hand, then let it go before turning to look at me. “No, I do trust you.”
“Then what are you so worried about? Couples should trust each other. There’s no need for all this doubt,” I murmured.
Edward came over and gently pulled me into his arms. “Victoria, I just… feel uneasy.”
I could feel him trembling a little, so I hugged him back and whispered, “As long as you trust me, I’ll never betray you.”
Edward pulled me even closer. “Okay, I was out of line. I shouldn’t have doubted you.”
“I’m not totally innocent either. I kept some things from you,” I admitted, feeling a little guilty.
Edward kissed me, and I didn’t move away. Right then, a nervous assistant walked in and saw us together.
We both jumped, and the assistant was practically shaking. “I just wanted to check if Ms. Murphy had left for the day… I’m so sorry,” she stammered.
She spun around and rushed out, and Edward and I quickly let go of each other.
“These are for you. Would you accept them?” I asked softly.
Edward reached out and took the gifts. “Alright. So, what did you get me?”
“Just some useful things. You can open them when you get home,” I said with a smile.
Edward and I shared a ride back to the office, sitting side by side in silence.
We’d laid everything out in the office earlier, but now, he barely said a word.
I felt a dull ache in my chest. ‘Turns out, even the smallest crack can make a relationship feel less complete,’ Victoria thought to herself.